Ilmar Reepalu
Ilmar Reepalu (born 11 October 1943) is a Swedish Social Democrat politician who was the 17th chairman of the municipal board in Malmö from 1994 to 2013.
Ilmar Reepalu | |
|---|---|
| 17th Mayor of Malmö Municipality | |
| In office 1 January 1995 – 1 July 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Joakim Ollén |
| Succeeded by | Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 October 1943 Nõva, Lääne County, Estonia |
| Political party | Swedish Social Democratic Party |
| Spouse | Elisabeth Christina Jaenson |
| Alma mater | Chalmers University of Technology |
After a professional life as an urban planner in Borås and Malmö, he became a municipal commissioner of Malmö in 1985. In opposition from 1985 to 1994, he then served as chairman of the municipal board – a position similar to that of mayor – from the 1994 election until his retirement on 1 July 2013.
During his term as chairman of the municipal board, Reepalu was lauded as being instrumental in the transformation of Malmö from an industrial town in decline towards being a centre of knowledge and modern architecture. He also was criticized strongly during his term, both for a surge in crime in the city, and reportedly antisemitism for comments he made in which he associated attacks on Jews in Malmö with their alleged support for Israel.